Distributing device



' or fertilizers on a lawn ortheilike'.

Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED".

OFFICE DISTRIBUTING nnvrcu Robert G. Bailey, Kenosha,.Wis.', assig'noi:of I one-half to Carl E. Ballard, Keno'slia, Wis.

Applicatibm June: I4, 1946; Serial Not 6 163695 My invention relates tomaterial distributors, and more particularlmto a distributor that may beused for seeds or fertilizers. orthe. like.

The object of my invention-is. toprovide a device that may be attached.to a lawn mower with-'- out any mechanical adiustm'ents; or may beconstructedas a separate unit and may be operated as a separate. unitforthe distribution of seeds Another object to provide. a device that willdistribute seed Or fertilizer evenly in a pre-determined path, will notfeed-when it is not in motion; and is-positive in: distributing. acontrolled amount of seeds, fertilizer. or any other material.

Still another object of my invention is to construct a device in amanner that will permit its actuation by frictional contact with thesurface being treated and will operate equally efficient on grades aswell as straight surfaces.

A still further object of my invention is to construct the device sothat it will distribute the material under pressure low down near theground or surface, thereby preventing uncontrollable distribution due towind or the like.

The device may be constructed at a nominal cost and is positive andefficient in its function.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawings,which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the entire device.

Figure 2 is an end view of the device, as shown in Figure 1, taken atthe hopper end.

Figure 3 is a rear View of the device showing the spiral feed screw andtube in fragmentary cross-section, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified attaching bracket.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and referring now to the same, the device consists ofa tubular body ill havin at one of its ends an upwardly extending memberI I shown in the form of a T. The open end of this T H is provided witha receiving member I2 adapted for receiving the lower ferrule l3 of ahopper arrangement M. This hopper arrangement l4 may be provided with acover, if desired, and may be constructed or" any type of materialsuitable for the purpose.

The horizontal tubular body It! is supported at both of its ends byannular members in the form of wheels l5 and I5, These wheels also IClaim. (01;. 215-2).

act as'a bearing for asha-ft l6 which acts'as supporting member andforms apart of a. spiral screw I! whichrotates when the wheels [-5 and-I5! rotate; The entire device is attached to a lawn mower or the like,not shown, by means of the attaching members lltwhich are: shown Figure.2- asprovided with a link member l9 having;- an aperture 2.9 which wouldengage. the outwardly projecting. endsof the shaft-supporte ing' theroller on. the lawn mower, and in-Figure 4; I-show the attaching memberl.-8;- as having a sl-idably adjustable jaw member 2.|' form ing; a.part oil-the unit and attached-andheldtin position by means? of thethumb nut. 22. engaging a bolt 23.

The ends of the tubular member I 0 are provided with bearings 24 made ofany suitable material such as wood or metal, and the ends of the shaftI6 are provided with a plurality of apertures 25 through which cotterpins 26 may be inserted and which retain the wheel members l5 and I5 inposition on the shaft I6. The position of the spiral member or feedscrew H which spiral member is shorter than the distance between thebearings 2 within the tubular member [0, due to longitudinal horizontaladjustment, can be made to feed little or much of the material which isdispensed from the hopper M by means of gravity through the ferrule l3into the T member I l of the tubular member ID. The adjustment of thefeed screw I1 is accomplished by supporting the Wheel members It: and I5at various locations by means of the cotter pins 26 inserted into theapertures 25. This tubular member Ill is also provided with a pluralityof apertures 21 through which the material being distributed is fed. Atthe extreme end of the tubular member ID are shown two larger apertures28 disposed within the tubular member I 0 and which function as anoutlet for any material of a size larger than the apertures 21 whichmight be forced by the feed screw ll toward the end of the tubularmember (0.

It is also possible to attach a conventional handle of any design orshape to the members l8 and the links I9 which are employed forattaching to a lawn mower, not shown, may be eliminated and the entiredevice may be attached to any conventional handle at this point. Thiswould make an individually operated unit that could be pushed or pulledby the operator over the surface in which the material is to bedistributed.

Obviously, the size of the annular wheels 15 and I5 being of a smalldiameter would permit 3 the apertures 21 of the tubular member I to beclose to the surface that is being serviced and would prevent any wasteof material being distributed.

It is manifest to anyone familiar with the art that a'device constructedaccording to the specification and drawings shown, will function for thepurpose for which it is intended. It is also manifest that the locationof the hopper may be at either end or at the center of the device, inwhich case the spiral feed screw I! would have a left and right spiralflange to feed toward either end. The device is constructed very simple,is

economical to manufacture and is positive in its operation, and while Ihave shown but a single manner in which the component parts arearranged, I am fully cognizant of the fact that many changes in the formand configuration of the unit may be made without in any way afiectingits efficiency, and I reserve the right to make such changes as I maydeem necessary or convenient without departing from the spirit of myinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent in the United States is: V r 7 A material dispensingdevice of the character described comprising a tubular body, saidtubular body provided with bearings at both of its ends, a spiral feedscrew disposed within said tubular body between said bearings the spiralportion in said screw being shorter than the distance between saidbearings, a shaft extending through said spiral feed and extendingoutward through 4 said bearings, said shaft provided with spacedapertures adjacent each shaft end, a pair of wheels said wheels arrangedfor slidable adjustment on said shaft, said spiral feed screwlongitudinally adjustable within said tubular body, a hopper, saidhopper disposed for engagement with the inside of said tubular member,said tubular member provided with a plurality of apertures within itswalls, a plurality of larger apertures at the bottom of said tubularmember near its depending end and means on both ends of said tubularbody for attaching said tubular member to a lawn mower or the like tocause the revolving of the spiral feed screw by means of contact of thewheels with the surface to which the material is to be dispensed, saidadjustment of said shaft regulating the amount of material depositedupon said spiral from said hopper.

ROBERT G. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

